Persons who are elderly, handicapped, seriously injured or ill often face difficulties in performing the most common of daily activities, particularly if they are immobile or confined to their beds. As such, several products have been developed for and are used by these persons in their homes, hospitals or short- or long-term care facilities. Incontinence underpads, for example, are often used by medical professionals in caring for patients who cannot easily move around or are completely confined to their beds. Underpads acts as moisture barriers to protect surfaces, such as bedding, on which the user is resting, from damage caused by moisture voluntarily or involuntarily released by the user. Additionally, such underpads serve to enhance the comfort of the user or patient by absorbing such moisture so that the user is kept relatively dry. Reusable underpads, in particular, are also environmentally friendly because they need not be disposed of after each use, but rather can be laundered and used again.
Conventional reusable underpads have a multi-layered structure, wherein the top layer comprises a fabric made of a polyester and cotton blend and is quilted to an adjacent absorbent layer. Such underpads generally also have a vinyl barrier forming the bottom layer of the structure. However, such conventional reusable underpads are generally inferior for a number of reasons. For example, their typical construction cannot withstand a great number of launderings, particularly institutional or industrial launderings, without deteriorating. Further, they are often made of materials which do not absorb and disperse moisture effectively, such that the surface of the underpad in contact with the user or patient can often remain wet for a significant amount of time, which leads to the user or patient being uncomfortable.
It would therefore be beneficial to provide a reusable underpad which is resilient and which effectively absorbs and disperses moisture effectively to maximize the comfort of the user.